Document processing devices include printers, copiers, scanners and e-mail gateways. More recently, devices employing two or more of these functions are found in office environments. These devices are referred to as multifunction peripherals (MFPs) or multifunction devices (MFDs). As used herein, MFPs are understood to comprise printers, alone or in combination with other of the afore-noted functions. It is further understood that any suitable document processing device can be used.
Information is frequently requested and received by users of user fillable forms, which may be predefined forms. Oftentimes one form may require a submission of one or more additional forms. A determination as to what additional forms may be needed may be contingent on information supplied by a user as they filled out a base form. Thus, a user must determine what is needed to properly fill out the form, and which supplemental forms must be identified, obtained, printed and filled out. Supplemental forms may themselves cause a need for still further supplemental forms.
To be successful in a form filling process, a form creator should specify clearly when and additional information or forms are required along with a base form. This may not be done clearly, or in way that is not confusing to a user. The form consumer should be able to easily identify which supplementary information is necessary for his/her situation, but is not always successful. Ensuring the proper supplementary criteria have been satisfied is a manual and time-consuming process. In many government-based practices, proper form submission is crucial. IRS tax forms, for instance, require multiple auxiliary documents based on the user's financial situation. For example, people with a Health Savings Accounts may be filed to fill out a Form 8889. Failure to identify and complete such additional forms can have severe tax consequences, and may lead to payment of additional taxes or penalties. Health related forms are even more critical as improper or incomplete submissions can lead to further complications, which could be severe.